Crawfordsville first-year coach Kurt Schlicher as he looks on at Andrew Martin making a grab.
Jacob Braun runs the ball in a game earlier this season for the Chargers.
It’s North — Crawfordsville week in the county football world, and local fans really don’t have to read much farther to start getting worked up for the rivalry.
The Athenians also have Homecoming this week, and the 1989 team is having a reunion, so C’ville is shaking a handful of dice to help their cause.
For Crawfordsville Coach Kurt Schlicher, however, there is a unique twist as he will be coaching against his alma mater for the first time as a head coach.
As a player with the Chargers in the 1980s, Schlicher defeated Crawfordsville three times in three tries. Now he gets the challenge of winning one against them.
“I still remember all three wins,” he said. “These county games give you lifetime bragging rights.”
The first-year coach is quick to bring the topic back to the game at hand, though.
“North is excellent up front,” he said, “and they have excellent skilled guys. They will attack you in multiple ways, and I am very impressed by their offensive line. Kade Kobel is a real concern but their run game is also very effective. They present multiple challenges.”
Across the Athenians field on Friday from Schlicher will be familiar faces.
“I coached with Coach (Josh) Thompson when I was on the North staff,” he said, “and it will be the first time I coach against Charley German. He changed football in this county and I have so much respect for him. It’s been 15 years since I was on the same field as him, and I’m really excited for that moment. Four of our coaches on this staff, Rex Ryker, Jack Whitecotton, Nathan O’Neal and I are all North grads. It’s a big night for all of us.”
Thompson is no stranger to this moment either, as the Chargers head coach is a Southmont grad and has gone against his alma mater several times.
“It was different,” he said, “to coach that first time against the school I attended and against the coaches I played for and coached with. Once the game starts, however, it just becomes another county game.”
Both coaches agreed that the biggest moment in going up against your old school is when you face them at their place.
“Next year at North will be entirely different,” Thompson noted.
The Chargers, 2-3 overall and 1-2 in the Sagamore Conference, are also playing for a county championship and the bragging rights inherent with it.
“A county championship would be great for our seniors,” Thompson noted, “to know that their hard work has paid off. This is a big game for our team. Crawfordsville is going to be ready to play and we cannot afford to get off to a slow start. Defensively, we need to continue to create turnovers and limit their big plays. Offensively, we need to continue to move the ball and maintain possessions. We also need to improve in the red zone.”
The Athenians, still looking for a win this season, continue to work on improvement, even in small pieces or places.
“We have been healthy in practice this week,” Schlicher said. “We have Noah Allen available to play both offense and defense, which will help. We need to find those big plays on offense that gets things started, and stop North’s big play ability. They are playing for a county championship, and we are playing for respect. We are hoping that homecoming and the rivalry will energize our players and fans.”
Coach Schlicher even got a piece of fatherly advice from his dad Bill, who was on the North chain gang for better than 20 years and has been spotted wearing blue and gold recently.
“When Kurt played, I told him every Friday night to play hard and have fun. As a coach, it’s coach hard and have fun. Not much different.”
The Chargers have had the upper hand in the rivalry recently, including a current eight-game win streak, and the North grad knows the task is tough.
“My goal is to make this a real rivalry game again,” he said.
The first chance is this week.
Keys To The Game
For North Montgomery to claim their first county title since 2015, the Chargers will need control the ball offensively, hit the big plays, and win the line scrimmage. The Athenians will need to force turnovers and get off to a good start if they want to defeat the Chargers for the first time since 2011.
Players To Watch
North Montgomery’s Jaron Bradford (662 passing yards and 9 TDs) and Kai Warren (251 receiving yards and 38 tackles). Crawfordsville’s Noah Allen (283 rushing yards), and Jesse Hortin (51 tackles).
Southmont (3-2, 2-1) at Danville (2-3, 2-1)
Southmont will head to Danville on Friday night in search of just its second win over the Warriors since 2011.
“We are going to have to play our best football of the year this week and each of the following weeks,” Mounties coach Desson Hannum said. “Offensively, We have to run the football and be able to convert on 3rd Down. Defensively, we have to continue to play good Defense by being able to stop the run and not give big plays. We also have to play a clean game by not turning the ball over and eliminating foolish penalties.”
Keys To The Game
For Southmont to pull out the win and run its record to 4-2 on the season, the Mounties will need slow the Warriors multi-faceted offense, and run the ball effectively with multiple guys. The Mounties are averaging over 230 yards on the ground a game, and 6.1 yards per carry as a team.
Players To Watch
Southmont’s Cameron Giles (426 rushing yards) and Ty Welliever (290 rushing yards), and Danville’s Chandler Schubert (692 rushing yards).
Seeger (3-2, 2-2) at Fountain Central (0-5, 0-3)
Fountain Central will host Seeger on Friday night for homecoming, as the Mustangs look for their first win on the season, and the Patriots look for their first win at Fountain Central since 2007.
Keys To The Game
For a Mustang victory, Fountain Central will have to move the ball effectively, and finish drives off with touchdowns, and defensively limit the big plays.
Players To Watch
Seeger’s Khal Stephen (486 passing yards and 6 TDs), and Rayce Carr (225 yards receiving on 8 catches). Fountain Central’s Austin Pickett (155 rushing yards).
